Season's beginnings, Another Phantoms Article

[Seabass 593]

Another Phantoms Article

 

Season 71 is now underway and there seems to be a different feeling this time around in the Phantoms locker room. The team just seems to have a much more positive aura around it and everyone seems to be motivated and focused on the upcoming season. Even the media this time around have different expectations when it comes to this year's Phantoms.

 

The Phantoms have undergone some changes since their inaugural season but one steady presence on the team is their entire blueline as the Phantoms have just built and developed around a young defensive core of Wolf Stansson Jr. , Cinnamon Block, Seabass Perrin, Jacob Perry and Gert Frobe. After struggling  out of the gate during the Phantoms first few seasons their defence has now reached the point of maturity. Many hockey analysts seem to now think the Phantoms have the best defensive squad in the league, and the cherry on top for GM, John Glasser is that all of those players are drafted and have been developed in the Phantom's system. 

 

The media have said for a few seasons that the Phantoms will never succeed without any star power. That seems to no longer be the case as the 1st overall pick of the VHL's S69 Entry Draft, Cinnamon Block just keeps on getting better and is pushing her game to another level yet again this season. She currently leads all Phantoms in scoring right out of the gate with 12 points in 10 games. Block is also excelling in her own end and she's just been a dominant player all around. This is the year we see Block place herself among the VHL's elite defenders. 

 

On the offensive end of things the team has had quite a few additions over the last couple of seasons and with the departures of Don Draper and Blake Laughton the Phantoms were primed to make even more additions this offseason. In comes rookie sensation Thomas Landry II and VHL veteran,  Joel Ylonen to fill in those holes. Landry brings a lot of energy to the team on and off the ice and has been on fire since the season began. Landry just recently scored his first career goal and is currently tied with Toronto's McDagg for the VHL's rookie scoring lead. Joel Ylonen comes to the Phantoms with 7 full seasons under his belt and he announced earlier in the year that S71 will be his last as he'll retire at season's end. He hopes to be help push the Phantoms over the edge as they intend to contend for the Continental Cup this season, which would be Ylonen's 3rd after winning back to back cups with Seattle. Before S70 Ylonen had 6 straight 50+ point seasons and the Phantoms are banking that there's just one more left in the old man. Analysts also expect this to be career defining years for Alex Pearson and Willie Dredge who are both trying to take that next big leap in their respective careers by becoming elite goal scorers but until then the team will once again be leaning on Roll Fizzlebeef to be their go to scorer. After all, he lead all Phantoms in scoring last season with 66 points. 

 

What has the team so motivated though this year is that this is their starting goaltender's last season in the VHL  and every member of the team is rallying behind the possibility giving Brick Wahl a proper send off by winning him his very first Continental Cup. So far Wahl is being godlike for the Phantoms and his numbers (.935 Sv %, 1.57 GAA) are already starting to get guys thinking he'll contend for his very first Aiden Shaw Trophy as well. WIth Wahl stepping out after S71 the team's goaltending future lies with Solomon Crawford. He has yet to suit for any games but it's expected the team will give him his first start soon enough.

 

Currently the Phantoms sit 1st in the VHL Standings with a 7-2-1 start to the season are showing the other VHL teams that they are the real deal and they're here to contend this year. 

 

Keep it Up 

 

GO PHANTOMS! 

 

players mentioned: @BladeMaiden@omgitshim @TacticalHammer @Cornholio @Jayrad28@diamond_ace @AndrewWarren13 @Esso2264 @sjs88speed @Grape @Doomsday @Liberty_Cabbage @NumberJ5

Edited March 30, 2020 by Sebster03

[Speed 126]

Woo go phantoms!